San Diego County wants social equity in pot regs

UCSD’s moonlighting abuse

It’s an open secret that some already richly paid UCSD academic staffers have been taking advantage of lax enforcement of the school’s limits on overtime, moonlighting, and other off-the-job activity to make even more money. But now the school’s auditors have called out the problem in a newly released report dated May 3 that mentions no names or specific over-compensation numbers, but chronicles a litany of behind-the-scenes payroll abuse. “Per UC conflict of commitment policies, outside professional activities must not interfere with a faculty member’s obligations to the University,” says the document. The report explains that “outside professional activities are those activities that are within a faculty member’s area of professional academic expertise, and that advance or communicate that expertise through interaction within the industry or community or with the public.” Even if up-front cash compensation isn’t involved, the audit says, a so-called conflict of commitment may still exist. “A conflict of commitment occurs when a faculty member’s outside activities, compensated or uncompensated, and regardless of financial interest, interfere with the faculty member’s professional obligations to UC.”

Auditors say they discovered “instances where approvals to exceed time (Campus and Health Sciences) and salary (Health Sciences only) were granted by Campus and Health Sciences administrators who did not have delegated authority from the Chancellor.” In addition, “we noted two instances of salary that exceeded threshold but without approval.” According to the findings, “faculty were not always in compliance with annual report submission requirements and Deans have not taken appropriate corrective action.” Also according to the document, “consequences for non‐compliance were not established or enforced for either the Campus or Health Sciences.” If auditors get their way, future penalties will be stiffer. “Health Sciences faculty are subject to good standing criteria, which is to be established by each department, in order to earn and retain income from professional activities,” the audit says. “Loss of good standing may affect the amount of the faculty member’s negotiated additional compensation and/or incentive and bonus compensation and their ability to engage in outside professional activities. However, to date, no faculty member has faced the consequences for failure to comply with the Plan or implementing procedures on outside professional activities requirements.”

Up in smoke

San Diego’s Board of Supervisors is getting ready to levy a tax on pot, and needs some advice about it. So relates a July 30 Request for Proposals seeking Cannabis Taxation Program Consultant Services. “County staff is seeking an experienced consultant to develop a tax strategy, ballot measure and ordinance related to adult-use and medicinal cannabis (inclusive of hemp and hemp-derived CBD products where applicable) that is equitable for business operating in the unincorporated areas of the county,” says the solicitation. Besides drafting a ballot measure and an approval strategy, the consultant is expected to perform as the supervisors’ pro-pot coach, responsible for “Board of Supervisors preparation meetings, dry run presentation, rehearsal presentation, dress rehearsal presentation, and hearing.” Optional services include “Consultation to support implementation of Cannabis Taxation Program, upon approval of ballot measure.” The deadline for proposals is August 20.

Meanwhile, the board has also been looking for someone to provide a Social Equity Program for Commercial Cannabis, according to a separate Request for Proposals, dated July 20. “County staff is seeking a consultant to develop a Social Equity program for commercial cannabis that informs the commercial cannabis ordinances, regulations, and programs that will work to repair the historic harm caused by the prior criminalization of marijuana and effects socially just and equitable outcomes,” says the request, without offering much further detail. Media to be provided by the consultant include “a public facing website, with language translation accessibility, including, but not limited to, Spanish, Filipino, Chinese, Vietnamese, and Arabic,” and “instructional videos that are professional quality and introduce interested people to the County’s social equity program.” Neither solicitation contains price limits...Get ready for a big-money push for new transportation taxes. A new campaign committee calling itself the San Diego Alliance for Traffic Relief, Reliable Transit & Jobs has set up shop here as of August 2, per a filing with the county Registrar of Voters. The fund’s treasurer and principal officer is listed as Gretchen Newsom, a onetime mayoral hopeful and current political director of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Local 569, representing San Diego trolley workers. Other principal officers include Mark Weber of mega-contractor HNTB Corporation; Valentine Macedo, Business Manager of Laborers Union Local 59; and Doug Hicks, chief of the Los Angeles-based Southwest Regional Council of Carpenters.

— Matt Potter (@sdmattpotter)

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